Welcome to NASIOC - The world's largest online community for Subaru enthusiasts!

Welcome to the NASIOC.com Subaru forum.

You are currently viewing our forum as a guest, which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our community, free of charge, you will have access to post topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. Registration is free, fast and simple, so please join our community today!

If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us.

Comments: High wear and silicon are common finds in new engines such as yours. The excess wear is due to new parts wearing in, while silicon is from sand-casted parts and sealers used when assembling your engine. With a few more oil changes, everything should read around if not better than, universal average levels. Those averages are based on an oil run of around 4200 miles. The viscosity was in the 5W20 range with no fuel or coolant present. No abnormal finds.

Interesting the Zinc levels are a little lower than average and Moly is way high

This is a Zinc additive website stating a few facts about engine breakin with modern oils.

#5 Redline oil and others are suggesting a 3,000-mile break-in for new engines! Proper seating of rings, with today’s lubricants is taking that long to properly seal. Shifting to synthetics before that time will just burn a lot of oil and not run as well as hoped.

For you science buffs: ZDDP is a single polar molecule that is attracted to Iron based metals. The one polar end tends to “Stand” the molecule up on the metal surface that it is bonded to by heat and friction. This forms a sacrificial layer to protect the base metal of the cam and tappet from contacting each other. Only at very high pressures on a flat tappet cam is this necessary because the oil is squeezed/wiped from the surface. This high pressure is also present on the gudgeon pin (wrist pin) in diesel engines, therefore the need for ZDDP in diesel engines.
Second part of the equation is Molybdenum disulfide (Moly). The moly bonds to the zinc adding an additional, very slippery, sacrificial layer to the metal. I found out that too much of the moly will create problems; lack of this material reduces the effectiveness of the ZDDP. The percentage, by weight is from .01 to .02%, not much, but necessary.

#5 Redline oil and others are suggesting a 3,000-mile break-in for new engines! Proper seating of rings, with today’s lubricants is taking that long to properly seal. Shifting to synthetics before that time will just burn a lot of oil

A mate went though a high oil usage issue with his BMW K1300S motorbike where he was using 600ml per 600miles of the specified Full Synthetic, after trying to resolve many times with the dealer for not being " fit for purpose " as a Sports Tourer he was quietly advised by the dealers mechanic to try it with Semi Synth but if he did it would void warranty.

Zink can lower the efficiency of the catalytic converter; higher levels of Moly can make the remaining Zink more beneficial. From what I understand, Moly is relatively harmless for catalytic converters; so seeing more of it is not surprising.

#5 Redline oil and others are suggesting a 3,000-mile break-in for new engines! Proper seating of rings, with today’s lubricants is taking that long to properly seal. Shifting to synthetics before that time will just burn a lot of oil and not run as well as hoped.

OK, so my interpretation of this is:

We should follow the break-in process (no cruise control; no exceeding 4k RPM; etc.) for 3k miles, not the 1k miles stated in the owner's manual.

We should perform the first oil change at 3k miles, not at the 7500 miles stated in the owner's manual.

When changing the oil at 3k miles, at that point we can begin using the recommended synthetic oil.

We should follow the break-in process (no cruise control; no exceeding 4k RPM; etc.) for 3k miles, not the 1k miles stated in the owner's manual.

We should perform the first oil change at 3k miles, not at the 7500 miles stated in the owner's manual.

When changing the oil at 3k miles, at that point we can begin using the recommended synthetic oil.

Does that sound about right?

It is unlikely any harm will come if you go over 4k RPM for brief periods as long as the engine is fully warmed up, and may even be better for break-in according to some.
According to the manual, oil change at 3k miles is not required for the 2.0 engine, it is required at 7.5k miles, and synthetic oil is required. 0w20 is not even necessarily required, but advised for maximum efficiency.

I think the majority of people suggest changing the oil at 3000 miles just because it could have a positive impact on the life of the engine. If you spend $20k+ on a car, quibbling over a $60 oil change isn't really worth it. Better to be safe than sorry I guess

I think the majority of people suggest changing the oil at 3000 miles just because it could have a positive impact on the life of the engine. If you spend $20k+ on a car, quibbling over a $60 oil change isn't really worth it. Better to be safe than sorry I guess

Agreed 100%. And I'll do my own oil change, so it should be less than $60 if I find a good price on the filter and synthetic oil.

I assume that as long as I don't decide on Amsoil products, I can get everything at Autozone, right?

Agreed 100%. And I'll do my own oil change, so it should be less than $60 if I find a good price on the filter and synthetic oil.

I assume that as long as I don't decide on Amsoil products, I can get everything at Autozone, right?

Not sure, but manual says 5w20 is okay to substitute temporarily.
Edit: Actually the manual says 5w30 or 5w40 is OK for "replenishment" and 0W20 is "required for optimum engine performance and protection"

A lot of people have been getting the 5qt Mobil1 oil at Walmart cause it is the cheapest. I got some Peak oil at shopthedude.com, and an OEM filter 3 pack and crush washers on ebay (Somerset Subaru). Comes to about $43 per change for me. Would be even cheaper with the Walmart oil.

Yup, Walmart is selling the 5-qt jug of Mobil1 0-20 full synthetic for $26.50. On eBay, it looks like I can get the Subaru-branded filters for approximately $7.50 each, if I buy a 3-pack (and $6.67 if I buy a 6-pack). So it looks to me like I can do my own oil change for under $40, and know that I put in the right quantity of the right product.

It looks like the non-Subaru oil filters sold at Autozone are similar in price to real Subaru filters from eBay, so I'd just stick with the Subaru filters. I don't know who OEMs the filters to Subaru.

Still deciding between a Fumoto valve and top-side oil extraction. Would only go with the valve if I could reach it without jacking the car or driving up on ramps.

Im a Castrol guy so thats what i have used in all my vehicles. Also adding a break in additive to the engine during the first 10k wouldnt be a bad idea. Beef up the zinc and possibly help the engine seat the rings sooner.

Is it possible that the zinc drops out of the oil as it is deposited on to the engine?

The metal is porus (to a certain extent) im sure the zinc plays a part in smoothing everything out. Even the cylinder walls. it might take a few oil changes to get the correct amount of zinc deposited in the engine.